COVID Cases Found on Norwegian Cruise Ship Returning to New Orleans

A cruise ship set to dock in New Orleans with over 3,000 passengers has detected 10 cases of COVID-19 among its crew and guests, the Louisiana Department of Health said late on Saturday.

The cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, departed New Orleans on a weeklong cruise on Nov. 28 and had stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico, the health agency said.

"NCL has been adhering to appropriate quarantine and isolation protocols," the department said in a tweet.

The ship is set to reach New Orleans on Sunday morning, according to its itinerary.

Everyone on board will be tested for COVID-19 before leaving and will be provided with post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People who test positive for COVID-19 will either travel to their homes or self-isolate according to CDC guidelines, the health agency said.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

(Reporting by Ann Maria Shibu in Bengaluru; Editing by Frances Kerry)